Is there just one Mass at this parish? Or two Masses, with a long delay between the two Masses?
In our parish, there are 9 Masses on the weekend, starting early and ending late, and it’s like a well-oiled machine getting the first group of people out the door and out of the parking lot, while the next group comes into the parking lot and into the church building.
I’m going to make a suggestion to the OP: time the “announcements.” Take out your watch and time it.
If I’m wrong, I apologize. But I’m guessing that it’s really only about 5 minutes. I simply can’t imagine that people would remain quiet about a half-hour announcement time after Mass.
It’s like when your baby cries at night before falling asleep–people think that the baby is crying for an hour, but if they actually time it on a watch, it’s only a few minutes. Things that are unpleasant for us only seem to last for a long time.
And if it’s really a half-hour, make an appointment with Father and ask point-blank why this is happening. Again, I’m only guessing and I apologize if I am wrong, but it sounds to me like Father is making an attempt to help the congregation be more of a “community,” and that’s great!
But a half-hour of announcements after Mass, and singing Happy Birthday, etc.–this isn’t going to create community. It’s artificial “fellowship.”
A brainstorming session is needed, and the congregation and the parish council need to sit down and figure out some ways that the parish can help facilitate a true “community” by providing opportunities for the people to enjoy socializing, Bible study, singing, service projects, etc. Perhaps there are parish organizations like the Legion of Mary or the Holy Name Society that have dwindled over the years, and maybe these great organizations need to be updated and revitalized. Or maybe the parish just needs to plan some social times like fall festivals, picnics, etc.
Another possibility is that Father is not comfortable using technology to keep the people of the parish updated about the various announcements in the parish. Is this a “poor” parish where a lot of people don’t have computers and iPhones? Is there a really thorough printed bulletin that the people receive after Mass, or again, is the parish too poor to be able to afford a lengthy printed bulletin? If making verbal announcements is truly the only way for Father to keep the congregation up-to-date, then you might just have to put up with it and try very hard to listen up and enter into the life of the parish.
But surely there are other better ways to keep the congregation informed, and to honor those who are having birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
I hope these suggestions are useful to the OP and others.
